Getty Images Dan Campbell and the Lions weren't happy after another questionable call by the referees.
The Detroit Lions can’t catch a break when it comes to officiating this season.
Two weeks after Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker was called for a questionable penalty that negated what would have been a game-winning 2-point conversion against the Dallas Cowboys, the referees flagged Decker again. This time, officials called Decker for a false start on a 4th-and-5 play against the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.
But on further review, some believe the Rams should have been called for a neutral zone infraction. That call would have given the Lions the first down with 66 seconds left at Los Angeles’ 36-yard line and a chance to build on their 21-17 lead.
Nice punt, Jack
#LARvsDET |📺 NBC
The Lions hadn’t punted the ball on any of their possessions up until that point after scoring touchdowns on three consecutive 75-yard drives. Quarterback Jared Goff had put on a masterful first-half performance in his first game against his old team, and Detroit was marching downfield to perhaps add to their lead.
Fortunately, the call did end up affecting the outcome of the game after the Lions pulled off the 24-23 win over the Rams.
Lions Are No Strangers to Officiating Blunders
This isn’t the first time the Lions have been affected by questionable calls. And the most recent time this happened to Detroit this season, no one on the team was happy.
Referees claimed that a different Lions offensive lineman reported as an eligible receiver, so they considered Decker as ineligible to catch the 2-point conversion that would have won the game. Goff called out the referees publicly after the game and Lions head coach Dan Campbell had some blunt words for what transpired on the field.
The call became a huge talking point throughout the rest of the week and the NFL sent a memo to teams about how to properly report as eligible to the officials before a play.
None of that happened in the wild-card game, but that doesn’t mean it won’t when the final whistle is blown.
Before this year, other controversial calls have gone against Detroit: There was the time referees took away a defensive pass interference penalty against the Cowboys in a 2014 playoff game that would have set up a potential scoring drive for the Lions as well as the infamous illegally batted ball out of the end zone by Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright in Week 4 of the 2015 season.
The Lions have had a complicated relationship with officials and that doesn’t seem to have changed even with the team’s recent success.
Lions Playing First Home Playoff Game in 20 Years
The Lions have a lot on the line in this game. Not only is Detroit one of the best teams in the NFL, but they won the NFC North and secured a home playoff game for the first time since 1993.
They actually had a shot at the No. 2 seed in the playoffs if they had beaten the Cowboys two weeks ago. But because of the missed call, they had to settle for the No. 3 seed but remained at home. However, after the Cowboys were upset by the Green Bay Packers on January 14, the Lions are the second-highest seeded team left in the NFC and will host the divisional round matchup next week. They would also host the NFC title game if the San Francisco 49ers lose to the Packers next week.
There was a lot riding on this game for Detroit, so any issues out of the Lions’ control – officiating included – would have been another frustrating addition to the franchise’s complicated NFL legacy.